Laura Thomas on Writing Tribes, Inspiration, and the English Countryside

Hello, miners! Welcome back. I am excited to introduce Laura Thomas today. Her novella Snow Globe Secrets just won the FHL Reader's Choice Award for novella.

First, here's a little about Laura

A published, award-winning Christian author, Laura writes heartwarming encouragement for your soul—especially in her numerous romantic suspense novels, as well as her teen fiction, marriage, and children’s books. Laura is a hope*writers certified writing coach, a book-loving chocoholic mom and nanny, and is married to her high school sweetheart. Originally from the UK, they now live the empty nest life in Kelowna, British Columbia, with their French bulldog! 

Find all her books, blog, bio, and writing coaching, and sign up for her free monthly newsletter at: www.laurathomasauthor.com

Connect with Laura: Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Bookbub | YouTube

Suzie: Welcome to the Diamond Mine, Laura. We are happy you took some time out of your day to visit
with us. Let's start with some easy get-to-know-you questions.

What is your favorite summertime refresher?

Laura: I may be English, but I’m coffee over tea any day of the week, and my beat-the-heat favorite is a tall, iced, skinny caramel macchiato!

Suzie: Yum. What are three books on your TBR right now?

Laura: I just checked my Goodreads, and I could actually name over 300 books on TBR! I’ll choose an eclectic mix: A Stranger’s Game by Colleen Coble, Every Time We Say Goodbye by Natalie Jenner, and The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame!

Suzie: That is an eclectic mix, but some good reads. Where is your favorite place to write? Why?

Laura: I do almost all of my writing in the peace and quiet of my home office. It’s bright and pretty and has become the place where I can focus and be inspired, surrounded by my best friends (shelves of books!) with Lulu my Frenchie curled up on her fluffy bed next to my feet. Or situated on my lap, which makes typing tricky…

  

Suzie: I have the same trouble with my cat. She always wants to cuddle when I need to work. 

Who makes up your writing tribe? 

Laura: This is a great question! A writing tribe is vital, and my people currently consists of my critique partner, local writing group, literary agent, publisher, editor, publicity manager, my amazing book launch team, several online writing groups, writer friends, and the support mentally, emotionally, and financially of my phenomenal husband! 

Suzie: Love that you are surrounded by so much support. What inspired you to write Captured in Frame?

Laura: I often find inspiration on my travels, and the initial spark for Captured in Frame came in January 2019 when I was visiting my family back in England (hence the English setting!). I was staying with my sister and her family in a charming little countryside village and thought it would make a delightful backdrop for a story. But I write suspense, so … one dark, rainy evening I saw (in the figment of my overactive imagination) a huge, drenched, grizzly man lit up by a flash of lightening outside my sister’s French doors. I freaked my poor sister out, but suddenly I had a character who would invade the serenity of this quaint country village in my future novel! Ta-da! 

Suzie: LOL. And your sister now has a story to tell about her crazy author sister. What led you to write romantic suspense?

Laura: Honestly, when I started my writing journey, I wanted to write for children and never dreamed I would write novels for grown-ups! However, I absolutely loved READING Christian romantic suspense—I was obsessed with Colleen Coble, Dee Henderson, Terri Blackstock and the like for years. I appreciated the blend of a love story with spine-chilling suspense, and marveled that at the end of the

book I had a spiritual take-away, even if it was subtly woven through the story. But God had plans in mind for me and my writing— and after my Christian teen fiction trilogy was published and I’d written some other stories for children, we were on vacation in Jamaica when I had the nugget of an idea for The Glass Bottom Boat, which ended up being my first published Christian romantic suspense novel. After that, there was no turning back…

Suzie: Isn't it amazing how God sometimes leads us to things we've never imagined. What message do you hope to convey to your readers?

Laura: My ultimate desire in writing all my Christian fiction books is to encourage and inspire readers in their REAL lives with compelling stories of hope, leaving no shadow of doubt that they are loved by God. Always. 

In Captured in Frame, the overarching theme is one of forgiveness and the beauty of second chances, and as my characters deal with all kinds of insecurities and trust issues, I finish the book with this beautiful quote by C.S. Lewis, which sums up my heart behind the message: 

“Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not.” 

Suzie: What a terrific message. Can you tell us a little about your next project?

Laura: I would love to! I have another romantic suspense novel set in the English countryside—The Final Word is book 2 in the Bite of Betrayal series and is scheduled to be published by Mountain Brook Ink in June 2025. It continues on from Captured in Frame but, as is the case with all my novels, it can be read as a stand-alone title. In this one, I had fun incorporating some of my favorite things: Paris, writing, baking, opera, the city of Bath, a cool sports car, and some definite Cinderella vibes … I can’t wait to share it!

 Suzie: Sounds like a fun read! Before we wrap up, how can we pray for you?

Laura: That’s so kind—thank you for asking. I would be grateful if you would join me in praying that by God’s grace my books would get into the hands of readers at the perfect time for them to be encouraged. Also, that I would have patience and wisdom and courage as I continue on the writing journey—for His glory. Amen. 

Suzie: Amen. Thank you again for spending some time with us this week.

About the Book

“In an idyllic village nestled in the English countryside, photographer Georgia Brooks is desperate to begin a new chapter in her life. Bramble Cottage was supposed to give her space to heal and hope again after suffering betrayal and rejection by the only man she ever loved. This was Georgia’s chance to rekindle her faith and reconnect with her sisters in a place that held sweet childhood memories—not expose herself to the ugly underbelly of the art world and put her family in danger.

Local pediatric surgeon, Doctor William Hughes, is captivated by the Canadian beauty with a camera over one shoulder and the weight of the world on the other. After suffering his own tragic loss and balancing a demanding career with raising a toddler, he recognizes the heaviness of grief . . . and the burden of guilt.

When Georgia discovers she could be in possession of incriminating evidence to frame a criminal ring, she needs to trust someone. She chooses Will. Postcards, photographs, paintings—something about Bramble Cottage is worth killing for. Can Georgia uncover the truth in time?”

Amazon | Goodreads

Step into the Past with Rebecca DeMarino and Win

Welcome to another week at the Diamond Mine. Suzie here this week. I hope everyone is settling into their summer. This week, I'm excited to introduce you to Rebecca DeMarino, author of The Southold Chronicles. Stick around and find out how you can win all three paperbacks in the series.

Rebecca DeMarino writes inspirational historical romance and is the author of The Southold Chronicles (Revell). The three-book series is set in the 17^th century on Long Island and is based on her real-life ninth great-grandparents who came from England on a little ship called The Swallow. Rebecca’s titles include A Place in His Heart (2014). To Capture Her Heart (2015), and To Follow Her Heart (2016). Rebecca inherited her love of baking and gardening from her mom, her love of horses and reading from her dad, and a wanderlust from both her parents!

For more information please visit her at www.RebeccaDeMarino.com and www.facebook.com/AuthorRebeccaDeMarino or tweet her @RebeccaDeMarino.

Suzie: Welcome, Rebecca. You've had a busy summer and we appreciate you stopping by today. I'm going to start with an easy question for you. Ballpoint, Uniball, or fountain pen?  

Rebecca: Uniball gel – I love how it flows!

Suzie: I'm a fan of the gel pens too. My favorite are the pilot G2 pens. Are you an early bird or a night owl?

Rebecca:  Definitely an early bird – much to my husband’s chagrin (who is not). I do my best writing in the wee hours of the morning.

Suzie: You’ve just been given a yacht. What do you name it?  

Rebecca: Writer’s Haven – because I’d want to do all my writing there!

Suzie: Oh, I like it!! Do you have any secret talents? 

Rebecca: I used to be able to ace spelling tests with my photographic memory, though I’m not certain it’s as sharp as it once was :)

Suzie: I'd blame that on technology :). Fill in the blank: Someday I want to ___________.

Rebecca: Reread all my favorite books in my library – I have over 1500! 

Suzie: I think that's something a lot of us can relate to whether it be re-reading or just getting through our TBR lists!! As an author, do you believe in writer’s block? 

Rebecca: Not that a good walk in the country can’t solve!

Suzie: Exercise is indeed good for both the brain and the body!! If you weren’t an author, what would you do for a living?  

Rebecca: In my dream-world I live on a ranch and raise Shires – descendants of the Great Black horses of old England.

Suzie: What place would you like to visit that you haven’t yet? 

Rebecca: Maybe Fiji, but the truth is, I’ve been to England twice and would go back in a minute!  

Suzie: I would visit England in a minute myself. It's on my bucket list. But if you're looking for surf and sand, Fiji would definitely fit that request! What literary character is most like you?  

Rebecca: Hmmm . . . maybe Mary Poppins because I always want to save a situation – but with Jesus as my umbrella and remembering that even when things don’t seem to be working out according to my plans, God has the big picture! BTW – have you seen the movie Saving Mr. Banks with Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers? Great movie – and their portrayals perfect!

Suzie: It was a great movie! Let's switch gears and talk about your characters. Which of your characters is most like you? 

Rebecca: I would love to say Mary Horton – there’s a huge part of me in her (maybe because she’s my 9th great-grandmother!) but really she is made of much stronger stuff than me!

Suzie: Which character was the most difficult to write? 

Rebecca: Barnabas Horton. He is a Puritan who loves God and struggles after the death of his wife, whom he loved very much. But he has two little boys he loves very much as well, and must raise them. He weds Mary because he knows his children need a mother, but he can’t bring himself to love her.

Suzie: What is the craziest or most memorable thing you did in the name of research for your book(s)?

Rebecca:  I spent one whole day in a one-on-one cooking class with food historian Alice Ross on Long Island. She had a cooking studio with a 17^th century hearth and we spent the entire day – from dawn to dusk - chopping wood, maintaining our fire, baking bread, and preparing and cooking meals just as they would in the 1600’s in which my series, The Southold Chronicles, is set. I wanted to feel to my core a day in the life of my heroine, Mary Horton – it was amazing!

Suzie: Wow, that sounds like hard work but a great experience! And I love the pictures!

Was there anything left out of the final draft that you would have liked to keep? 

Rebecca: The story itself remained intact – but my publisher cut the prologue, as they often do! But Revell did stylize it for me and I offer it on my website for free to those who sign up for my newsletter!

Suzie: Finally, what are you working on now?

Rebecca: I just completed my fourth novel, based on the real lives of Dolley and James Madison! I loved the research for that novel, which took me to Pennsylvania, Washington DC and the Library of Congress, James Madison’s Montpelier in Virginia, and the University of Virginia. I’ve made three trips to Montpelier, one of which was for a week where I participated in an archeology dig of the slave quarters on James Madison’s plantation. Talk about inspiring!

Suzie: Wow, sounds like readers have another fantastic read from Rebecca DeMarino ahead of them. Thank you for sharing a little bit of yourself, your characters, and your writing with us. 

Satisfying, Emotionally Rich Conclusion to The Southold Chronicles Series
It is 1664 and Patience Terry is devastated to learn that Captain Jeremy Horton's ship has been shipwrecked off the coast of Barbados, with no survivors. She had hoped that Jeremy would someday give up the sea and settle down with her in Southold, Long Island. 

Unaware his memorial service is being planned, Jeremy is rescued and aboard a British Naval Gunship with secret orders to attack New Amsterdam and claim it for the British Crown. When he makes his surprise return to Southold--and to an overjoyed Patience--it's not the happily-ever-after his beloved had hoped for. 

With a finely tuned sense for authentic historical characters and settings, Rebecca DeMarino plunges readers into the 17th century--a world of high seas and tall ships, daring journeys and yearning hearts.

Order here

Rebecca is graciously giving one reader all three books (paperback) of The Southold Chronicles. To enter, leave a comment here. You can say hi to Rebecca or just tell us what your summer vacation plans are (or where your dream vacation is if you're don't have one planned). Contest is valid only after five unique commentors. Winner will be drawn on Thursday, July 13, 2017.  You can get one bonus entry by following Rebecca on a social media platform or subscribing to her newsletter (be sure and come back here and let us know you did so).